By: Jeff Savage
Publisher: Lerner Publications
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-1467703338
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 2012

Tim Tebow is such an all-American phenomenon you’d think he’d been born here, but he wasn’t. Tim was actually born in Makati City in the Philippines to parents Bob and Pam, who “ran an orphanage.” Eventually they moved to the states and bought a farm outside Jacksonville, Florida where he was raised with his brothers and sisters. Tim was homeschooled, but was able to play sports both at home and in the local schools. He was surprised when his T-ball coach told “the players that winning did not matter.” Winning was something he definitely wanted to do and his idol, “Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith,” was a winner. Tim wanted to be that kind of a winner.

When Tim was fifteen, he “played quarterback at Trinity Christian Academy,” a school where his brothers had been linebackers. He wanted to pass and when he transferred to another school he not only started to pass, but became an athlete people noticed. Not only was a state title in his future, but eventually “more than 80 colleges recruited him.” The Florida Gators snagged him and he was “awarded the Heisman Trophy” after his sophomore year. In this book you’ll learn about his family life, the importance of his Christian faith, you’ll read about some of his more exiting games, how he was drafted by the Denver Broncos, his rookie season, Tebowmania, his move to New York, and you’ll learn many other things about Tim Tebow, an amazing athlete!

This is a fascinating look at Tim Tebrow, “one of the most popular athletes in any sport.” Most young football fans definitely are familiar with Tim, but will welcome the chance to learn more about his life. The book is loaded with full-color photographs, many action-oriented. Words that might be unfamiliar to the reader such as “end zone,” “defenders,” or “wide receiver” are highlighted in purple and defined in the glossary. There are numerous informative sidebars and captions that add additional information. In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, selected career highlights (2004 to 2011), and additional recommended book and website resources to explore.

Quill says: If you have a young sports fan in your life who has a good case of Tebowmania, you just might want to add this book to your list!